The world's unluckiest people

Reporter

Ever have one of those days where you felt like the whole world was out to get you? If you’re one of the people on this list, you could be right.

The colourful infographic on the world’s unluckiest people shines a light on the most outlandish of unfair circumstances, from lightning striking twice (or even seven times) to double snake bites, to someone who managed to be on not one, not two, but three sinking ships – including the Titanic.

It ranges from close calls to ridiculous odds – Frane Selak came away (nearly) unscathed from seven horrific accidents, while Ann Hodges was one of only two people in all of history to be hit by a meteorite. And she didn’t even get to keep it.

What are the odds?

You wouldn’t want to place any bets on any of these happening a second time, but imagine if you’d put a wager on:

• Roy Sullivan being hit by lightning seven times – a chance of 1 in 22 septillion.

• Costis Mitsotakis being the only person in a village of 70 to not win part of a €740 million lottery – the chances of one person winning being 1 in 100,000.

• Erik Norrie getting attacked by a shark, struck by lightning, and bitten by a rattlesnake (but not all at once!) – odds of 1 in 11.5 million, 1 in 3000, and 1 in 37,500 (annually) respectively.

• Melanie Martinez losing four homes to hurricanes, and then after a $20,000 makeover for her fifth, losing that one too – with only a 4% chance each year of being hit by a hurricane in Louisiana.

• Violet Jessop was on the Olympic, Titanic & Britannic – all of which sank

• Costis Mitsotakis was the only person in a village of 70 to not win part of a €740 million lottery

Some of the people on the list aren’t even unlucky themselves, but are bad luck charms. Robert Todd Lincoln – son of American President Abraham Lincoln – was present when his father was assassinated.

Then, he was invited to an event where President Garfield was assassinated. He was invited to the Pan-American Exposition by President McKinley… that didn’t end so well either. He declined further Presidential invitations.

So whether you lead a charmed life or spend your days breaking mirrors and walking under ladders, make sure you check out these poor, unfortunate souls – knock on wood it won’t happen to you!